Bottle closure



Nov. 19, 1935. L. R. N. CARVALHO BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed July 14, 1934 i as r Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Q BOTTLE CLOSURE Leslie R. N. Carvalho, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Closure Service Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application July 14, 1934, Serial No. 735,173

'7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in bottle closures and more particularly to means uors for the recognized better'grades and the use of the packages of legitimate distillers in the sale of the inferior goods is quite extensively practiced. Owing to the fact that the usual closures and sealing device may be removed and replaced without detection on the part of the average consumer, such substitution of goods is easily accomplished.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a closure and sealing band therefor, the latter being of such construction that in opening the package the band must be distorted and torn to a degree precluding its reuse.

Other objects will be in part apparent .and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a closure and sealing band constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sealing band.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the ends of the band about to be connected together.

Fig. 4 is .a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the first step involved in securing the ends together.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the sealing band after it has been removed from the container.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevational View of another form of the invention.

The invention is shown in connection with a bottle I having a reduced neck H which is formed with an annular external bead 12 providing a'downwardly facing shoulder l 3, the purpose of which will be apparent presently. A metal cap M or other preferred form of closure is attached to the neck above the bead l2 to thereby close the opening (not shown) defined by said neck.

For the purpose of preventing undetectable removal of the closure !4 by unauthorized persons, a sealing band is attached to the closure and bottle neck in such fashion that in removing the band it is so torn and distorted that it cannot be reused. This sealing band, which is formed of a very light gauge sheet metal, consists of an elongated rectangular body portion IS, the length of which from points A to B (Fig. 2) is substantially equal to the exterior circumference of the attaching flange of the cap or closure. The band is of such width that its upper margin ll may be flanged radially inward over the margin of the cap and its lower margin I8 spun inwardly over the downwardly facing shoulder E3 of said bead. Thus it is obvious that removal of the band can be attained in only one really practical fashion and that is by separating its ends. With the connecting means herein provided it is absolutely necessary to tear the 10 metal and so distort the band that reuse is impossible.

The construction of the connector which is used in securing the ends of the sealing band together may be substantially as follows: A

tongue l9 or finger. piece extends from one of the tongue l9, the function of which shoulders the length thereof and is connected to said band by a relatively narrow neck 20. Such construction results in the formation of a pair of transversely aligned shoulders 2| at the inner end of the tongue I 9, the function of which shoulders will be apparent presently. The tongue tapers towards its free end to facilitate assembly of the parts as will be evident. The opposite end of the Z5 band proper or body portion is, is formed with a transverse slot 22, a major portion of the opposed side walls 23 thereof converging towards the adjacent end of the band. The greatest width of the slot 22 is substantially identical to the greatest width of the tongue l9 while the narrow end of this slot is of a length corresponding to the width of the neck 20 which connects said tongue and band proper. A tear-out strip 24 constituting a major portion of one wall of the slot 22 has its ends defined by a pair of score lines 25 or weakened areas.

The application of a sealing band of the above type to a closure and bottle. (the upper marginal area I! having been turned inwardly as shown in Fig. 1) involves projection of the tongue I9 through the slot 22 as indicated in Fig. 4 and then allowing the resultant unit to expand and bring the shoulder portions 2| of the tongue to positions in which they overlie the side walls of the narrow end of said'slot. Thus the ends of the band are securely connected. This collar or ring-like sealing band is then slipped over the closure [4 and bead l2 and has its lower margin spun inwardly beneath said bead and into firm engagement with the downwardly facing shoulder I3. Removal of the band involves grasping the tongue l9 or finger piece and pulling it radially in a direction to tear the strip 24 along one or both of the score lines 25. Following this procedure the band may be expanded and removed from engagement with the closure and bottle neck. Obviously such tearing of the tear-out strip 2 renders the band incapable of reuse.

In Fig. 6 the sealing band 26, which may be of the same construction as the band above described, is shown in conjunction with a screw threaded metal cap 2? wherein an annular series of corrugations 28 at the upper end of the cap, an external bead E9 or Wire edge at the lower margin thereof and the external shoulder 39 or bead on the bottle neck 3| are of the same circumference. Thus the sealing band when applied firmly engages these vertically aligned exterior surfaces and is effectively supported thereby.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a container having a neck portion, an external bead encircling the neck in proximity to its upper end, a closure telescop-ed over the neck above the bead, a sealing band encircling the closure and said bead and having marginal flanges taking over the upper part of the closure and said bead, means connecting the free ends of said band including a tongue extending circumferentially from one end of the band, and a neck portion of less width than the tongue connecting the latter to the band, said band having a slot extending transversely thereof in proximity to its other end, the opposite end walls of said slot converging towards the adjacent end .of the band whereby upon projection of the tongue through said slot and a predetermined degree of expansion of the band, the opposite inner end corner portions of the tongue overlap the walls at the narrow end of the slot and secure the ends of said band together and a weakened zone extending from the narrow end of the slot to the adjacent end of the band whereby pulling the tongue outwardly and circumierentially tears the band along said weakened zone.

2. A sealing band comprising an elongated rectangular strip of sheet metal, a tongue at one end of said strip extending therefrom in the direction of the length of the latter, a neck of less width than the tongue connecting it to the strip and thereby forming a pair of opposed shoulders at the adjacent end of the tongue, said strip having a slot extending transversely thereof adjacent the end opposite said tongue, the opposed end walls of said slot having a major portion thereof converging towards the adjacent end of the strip, and a tear-out strip constituting a portion of one side wall of said slot.

3. A sealing band of the character described comprising an elongated strip of sheet metal adapted to be bent into circular form and have its ends separably connected, means for separably connecting the ends of the strip including a tongue extending lengthwise of and from one end of the strip, and a neck portion of less width than the tongue connecting it to the strip, said strip having a slot near its other end through which the tongue extends when the ends of the strip are connected together, the walls of said slot in proximity to the longitudinal margins of the strip being so relatively positioned that portions thereof have interlocking engagement with the tongue and said strip having a weakened zone extending from the slot to the adjacent end and along which the metal tears during separation of the ends of the band efiected by pulling the tongue substantially in the direction of the length of the strip away from the slotted end.

4. A sealing band of the character described comprising an elongated strip of sheet metal adapted to be bent into circular form and have 10 its ends separably connected, means for separably connecting the ends of the strip including a tongue extending lengthwise of and from one end of the strip, a neck portion of less width than the tongue connecting it to the strip, said strip having a slot near its other end through which the tongue extends when the ends of the strip are connected together, the walls of said slot in proximity to the longitudinal margins of the strip being so relatively positioned that portions thereof have interlocking engagement with the tongue, a tear-out strip forming at least a portion of one margin of said slot, and score lines defining the ends of said tear-out strip.

5. A sealing band of the character described comprising an elongated strip of sheet metal, a tongue of less width than the strip extending longitudinally from one end thereof, a. relatively narrow neck between and connecting the tongue and strip, said strip having a transverse slot in proximity to its other end, the end walls of the slot adjacent the longitudinal margins of the strip converging towards the adjacent end of the latter to a degree resulting in reduction of the length of one end of said slot to a distance ap- 3 proximately equal to the width of the neck which connects the tongue and strip, and a tear-out strip forming the margin of the short end of said slot.

6. In combination, a container having a neck portion, an external bead encircling the neck in proximity to its upper end, a screw threaded closure therefor including a circular top portion and a depending attaching flange, an external bead encircling the lower margin of the attaching ternal screw threads above the bead, a screw threaded closure including a circular top portion and a depending attaching flange, an external continuous bead at the lower margin of the attaching flange, said circular top portion and the beads being of the same external diameter and extending radially outward beyond the greatest diameter of a major portion of the attaching flange, the margin of said top: portion being corrugated and a sealing band encircling the attaching flange and beads and having its upper margin turned inwardly over the top portion of the closure and its lower margin turned inwardly beneath the bead on the container neck.

LESLIE R. N. CARVALHO.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2, 021,834. November 19, 1955.

LESLIE R. N. CARVALHO.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, line 17, strike out the Words "of the tongue 19, the function of which shoulders" and insert instead end of the band proper in the direction of; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record/of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of August, A. D, 1956.

Leslie Frazer (s Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

